Dr. Nicholas Hayes is a character first appearing in Season 10. He is the head of the Cardiothoracic Department and surgeon who was for a lengthy time has been sexually assaulting female residents at Gaffney. He believed himself to be untouchable due to bringing in some income over the course of his career. When Naomi Howard told Caitlin Lenox of the incident, she reported it to Sharon Goodwin who went before the Board of Directors. After more of his victims came forward and the Chicago Tribune jumped on this, he was suspended.